Favourites of Ronnie and Janet

I’m gradually moving content back to this page, rather than rely exclusively on my YouTube channel.

The tunes are categorized by their meaning to us, i.e. according to why we enjoy them, rather than by musical genre; but even that’s not quite right, because true favourites have multiple reasons for being that way.

The thumbnails usually link to YouTube videos. Let me say I especially like the tunes, but the videos may or may not be any good. It’s just that YouTube is the easiest way to point someone to a song nowadays.

Tunes related to Secret and Forbidden Love

Title

Artist / Composer

Comments

Listed by

Something to Talk About

Bonnie Raitt

If you’re being teased about liking someone, this song is ideal for taking that person’s hand and pulling them to the dance floor.

Old school! About 300 years, as to the story; but the movie was done in 1968. The actors were close to the age of Shakespeare’s characters, which got everyone properly scandalized — rather getting into the spirit of the story themselves, I suppose.

Ronnie

Young Girl

Gary Puckett and the Union Gap

No comment

Janet

Somewhere (a Place For Us)

From West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim; this cover is performed by Adam Rafferty.

I chose this instrumental version because it’s sadder and more edgy, as I think this song should feel.

Ronnie

What Would Happen

Meredith Brooks

Janet and her, you know, situations.

Janet

Tunes about how The Important Thing Is That We’re All Sims

People Are People

Dépêche Mode

Electronica is usually Janet’s genre more than mine, but this song I like. And the video is a splendid job.

I understand that this is the only song ever to reach #1 in the States despite featuring a kazoo.The originally famous version by Johnny Burnette is also fun. (Unless, that is, people sing it at you too much and are going to get socked if they keep it up, Janet I swear.)

Janet

Tunes about Romance

Wicked Game

Chris Isaak (composer) / Paal Flaata (artist)

One of Janet’s “heartbreaker” songs. Janet was all “OMG Chris Isaak is hot” but I showed her this Norsk singer’s video of the song and she just stood gaping, for the duration. I love the original of course, and Janet isn’t wrong about Mr. Isaak — but the video that usually goes with it is insipid. You might care to see this one which was done before the song was famous. Other credible versions have been done by Stone Sour, Heather Nova, and Adam Gontier of Three Days Grace.

Ronnie, because I knew Janet would think Paal Flaata was haat

Fields of Gold

Sting

Janet

Kiss Me

Sixpence None The Richer

Just pretty.

(Also, something about the mention of fireflies — as though we remember them from somewhere.)

Janet & Ronnie

Heart of Gold

Neil Young

Fine song but, if you’re among those who don’t care for Mr. Young’s voice, you’ll probably like how Johnny Cash does it.

Ronnie

Tunes for When I Just Feel Like I Need Some Tunes

Sinéad

Within Temptation

Ronnie

Cinnamon Girl

Neil Young (composer) / John Entwistle (artist)

Dance-and-trance. Sometimes a Sim just likes to. This is not a quiet, contemplative sort of song… as I understand it, Mr. Entwistle didn’t quite invent the electric bass, but he was the first to play it with enough energy and precision to get people’s attention.

Ronnie

Captain Coull’s Parrot

Peatbog Faeries

More dance-and-trance — sort of folk-reggae.

Ronnie

The Aussie Steve Set

Molly’s Revenge

Oh this band is such great fun! YouTube has only an excerpt, but the whole set is on their ‘Raising the Rafters’ CD.

Ronnie

Little Talks

Of Monsters and Men

I had some misgivings about putting a song here that already gets constant airplay, but it is at the same time so weird — the genre has been described as “þjóðlagapopp séð með nýbylgjugleraugum” which, since I can’t make it out even slightly, I think is pretty accurate. And as well, it is refreshing to see a band that not only plays their own instruments, but even really difficult ones like the trumpet (Ragnhildur Gunnarsdóttir.) I like how the voices of Nanna Hilmarsdóttir and Raggi þórhallsson sound together, and Nanna’s little smiles between stanzas. And I like their attitude; here’s a nice article about them playing at the Sasquatch festival down in Washington State.